The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) “with teeth” is as vital to the Bahamas’ governance as the opening of the radio airwaves was in the 1990s, an outspoken QC said yesterday.

  Fred Smith, the Callenders and Co partner, said enacting such legislation “with teeth” was fundamental to this nation’s development.

While expressing disappointment that the Government had not made public the McKinsey & Co report on Freeport’s expiring tax incentives, Mr Smith argued that the Bahamas had regressed on disclosure and accountability in Government.

“Forty or 50 years ago, every government department  used to publish detailed reports about everything that they did, every decision they made, every expenditure,” he said.

“There is no more accountability. There is this feeling that we are entitled to govern and we know best. Regrettably, the Office of the Prime Minister doesn’t know best.”

    Mr Smith added: “A Freedom of Information Act drafted with teeth will be as fundamental to changing the Bahamas as the implementation of freedom of radio and television. 

“The Bahamas has exploded democratically with all these radio and television stations. That was one of the few democratic blessings that former Prime Minister Ingraham bestowed on the Bahamas. Mr Christie has an opportunity to leave a legacy as great as that, and that is to pass a Freedom of iInformation Act that has real teeth.”

   Mr Smith stressed the need for the Government to consult more with local stakeholders before making policy decisions.

He added that the Government had started the consultation on Freeport’s expiring tax incentives “far too late”.

“There are hundreds of deep thinkers in Freeport who have very important ideas about Freeport’s future. They started this consultation process far too late. We knew years ago that August 2015 was coming. We’re always rushing consultation at the last minute. When you do have a conversation with all of your stakeholders at the table there are no surprises,” said Mr Smith.